


Loving You is a Losing Game.

by shortkingbolin



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Identity Reveal, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Time Loop, Time Travel, Unrequited Crush, lukanette endgame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2020-12-01 22:53:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20925308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shortkingbolin/pseuds/shortkingbolin
Summary: Insert half a euro into slot.Ready?Begin.__________________________Marinette finds herself thrown into the future and stumbles upon an arcade that everyone warns her to stay away from.Curiosity Killed the Cat.But Satisfaction brought it back.____________________________________Or the one where Marinette must make a choice between Adrien and Luka, and she learns to let go.





	1. Ready? Begin.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [onetruethree](https://archiveofourown.org/users/onetruethree/gifts).

> Hi! This was your gift for the Lukanette Exchange! The other chapters will be posted soon and I'm sorry this is really late, but I hope you enjoy! This falls under the lukabug reveal, snake miraculous Luka and Love Triangle Angst that you requested for your gift <3

* * *

Marinette recalled what her hesitation had led her to. She hadn’t listened to Kagami, and she had suffered the consequences. 

She had hesitated when it came to Luka.

She had hesitated when it came to Adrien.

She had hesitated during a battle, and she was thrown a century into the future, where everything had changed drastically and she was forced to fit in, to live among them while she figured out a way home.

Adopting the name Marian, she found one of Alya and Nino’s great-grandchildren, Nova Cesaire-Lahiffe, and he was the holder of the turtle miraculous. Marinette explained to him that she needed a place to stay while she figured everything out and he added her to his family temporarily. 

As she wandered around the city, she found that in the last remaining library, there were only history books that talked of the heroes and their identities...and she found that Chat was really the famous Adrien Agreste, who had faced off with his father, Gabriel Agreste, owner of the butterfly miraculous.

Unfortunately, decades later, the battle for the miraculous was still going strong, with Ladybug gone and the Butterfly and Peacock holders outnumbered, but stronger than the children who were thrown into a war they did not ask to take part in.

But they still took part in it, even after being given the choice to opt out after a couple of years, because they had learned to shoulder the responsibility and Marinette knew that more than anyone else. The only information she couldn’t find on heroes was for Ladybug. It was only reports of a disappearance and it made her grimace at how lost all the other heroes looked.

But they were all gone now, a century and more having passed and only their great-grand children, if they had any at all, remained.

Marinette flipped to the last great battle, but the book and library began to glitch, as if it didn’t want her to look, but Marinette had grown accustomed to it and continued to flip the pages.

The pictures of Chat were taken as he fought his father and Marinette could see how painful it was.

It was written all over his face.

It had come as a shock, but it wore off as she studied more and more how it went down, she began to remember every smile and laughter they had shared and she pieced together what she had suspected all along. 

It wasn’t a shock that Adrien was Chat Noir, but it _was _a rather hard blow, because she took this long and under unforeseen circumstances, to figure out his secret identity. She had been firm about not knowing the other’s identity, refusing him every time he tried to reveal himself to her, but it had all been futile. 

But it all made  _ sense _ . All the times in lycee when he would go off to the restroom at almost the same time as her. Alya’s comparison of Chat Noir and Adrien, connecting the dots before Marinette. Chat Noir’s crush on her, mirroring Adrien’s.

It should have made Marinette’s heart ease up a bit, but there was a tiny throb in her heart, like the wrong note on the guitar. 

_ Luka _ . 

There was still Luka, who was probably worried sick about her as well, not knowing where she was. Luka, his sweet face and comforting arms. Luka, who still had a hold on her even after a year.

And Marinette knew she was running out of time.

Both on the timeline she had been thrown in and with making a choice between Adrien and Luka. 

Kagami was right; they weren't going to wait around forever.

And it was unfair of her to keep them on hold.

  
  


* * *

She was rarely at Nova’s house because she felt too awkward and homesick, seeing Alya’s face in the kids, and Nino’s kindness in Nova. It had been a few weeks in the timeline she had been thrown into, when she discovered that there was no video games that anyone could play at home, only an arcade that people rarely went into.

“I wouldn’t go near that thing. An old man runs it and that arcade is supposed to be either cursed or magical.” Nova advised her against it, and Marinette’s eyes rolled skyward, as she hopped off the kitchen counter and Nova scoffed. “I can see why you’re acting like that, but having a turtle miraculous is more believable than a cursed arcade.”

“I’m going to go see what the big fuss is about.” Marinette hollered as she headed for the door and Nova threw her a sliced onion piece.

“If you disappear, I won’t go looking for you. You’re old enough to look out for yourself!” Nova called back and Marinette guffawed as she swung open the door.

“I’m not one hundred years old, Nova. It’s complicated. I’m still fifteen. I just need to go back to my time.” 

* * *

She stood in front of the arcade’s entrance, unsure of whether or not to actually go in. It seemed intimidating, with the huge, neon signs and how empty it looked inside. 

She began to turn away, scolding herself internally for distracting herself, instead of focusing harder than she already was on finding a way home. She still had the ladybug miraculous and things were glitching around her. No one else could see it, but her, and from what she knew, the turtle had been the only surviving miraculous. She couldn't find any of the other miraculous and the holders' descendants were no help, denying it and turning her away.

That included the ladybug miraculous, because the holder was nowhere to be found.

But only Marinette was able to see the glitches and when she brought it up to Nova, he talked to her as if she were a small child that was having nightmares, and she didn’t bring it up again. She kept everything that had to do with her mission to herself. 

She needed a distraction, even if it was only for an hour. She missed playing video games with Luka, Juleka and Rose. They always went off into pairs, and together, with Luka on her team, they won. She _missed_ him and a small wail of desperation rose in her throat, but she pushed it back down.

She was twisting the bracelet Luka had given her a week before her disappearance on her wrist, trying to decide whether or not to go inside.

_ Hesitation _ .

That had been her downfall, the reason she was stuck in the flickering future without a way home.

She inhaled sharply, closed her eyes, and pushed open the door. She opened her eyes again when she bumped into someone roughly.

“May I help you?” An elderly man coughed and peered up at her with a small twinkle in his eyes, as if he had something up his sleeves.

“I was just- ah, heading out!” Marinette winced, and she tried to head for the door, but the old man was quicker and stopped her before she could.

“I’m not a mind reader, but the games look tempting, don’t they?” 

“I don’t have any money, sir!” Marinette attempted to push him out and Tikki was quietly pulling on her shirt to try and convince her to leave.

“This one’s on me.” He bowed his head and Marinette was surprised to find two half a euro cents in her hand. “Pick any game, but I really suggest that one.”

The one that he had pointed to before he slipped away, was a game with flashing signs that read, “ _ Second Chance? Love? We’re here to help! _ ”

Marinette was drawn to it, finding herself blinking at the blinding lights that lowered as soon as she placed her hand on the joystick, and her other hand’s fingers drummed against the buttons.

_ Insert half a euro into slot. _

Marinette bent down to find the coin slot and she was unsure of whether or not to actually insert the coin. She decided to watch the screen for a little more info on the game, as she remembered Nova’s warning about the cursed arcade.

“Stuck between loves and don’t know who to choose?”

Marinette found herself nodding slowly, intrigued on where the game was going.

“We’ve come up with the perfect solution for you! Two chances to test out your triangle. But there’s only one catch-”

Marinette was now eagerly leaning in, waiting for the answer in anticipation. 

“- Make your choice by the third round or all progress will be lost!” 

Lose all her progress?

It was just a silly game. Of course it couldn’t delete her actual progress. It probably meant her progress regarding the game. Nova’s voice rang in her ear, but Marinette shook her head and inserted the coin anyway. 

_ Ready? _

_ Welcome, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. We’ve been waiting for you. _

** _Begin_ ** _ . _

A dazzling light, brighter than anything Marinette had ever seen, flashed before her and in an instant, her world turned dark.

_ Where was she? _

* * *


	2. I Need You By My Side.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bitter feelings leave Marinette blinded to something that could help her, and someone stops by the bakery to make a delivery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I split chapter two into another chapter, because it seemed better that way. Hope you enjoy the update!

* * *

_ They had shared a kiss once, long ago, a bit after his confession. _

_ It had been something that had happened in the heat of the moment and it was something that always stayed there, in the back of her mind. _

_ They just had never brought it up again, and it stayed like his akumatized form, in silence. _

* * *

“Ladybug! Are you alright?!” Someone was shaking her like a rag doll repeatedly, and she awoke, surrounded by all the other miraculous users that she had chosen, except for one...right before her disappearance.

It was Chat’s frantic face that welcomed her back and she was blinking slowly, trying to adjust to everything around her. 

_ Was she really back in her own time? _

“Chat…” She reached out to touch his face, and he caught her hand, kissing the back of her hand tenderly, and gazing at her with his wide, glassy, green eyes.

“I was so afraid we’d lost you, m’lady.” Chat’s voice was hoarse and clogged, as if he’d been crying and she felt the guilt bite at her insides, eating her from the inside out. It must have registered on her face because Chat became more affectionate towards her, nuzzling his cheek against her hand and she couldn’t find it in her to pull away from him.

_ What if this was the last time she saw him? _

“Ladybug.” Viperion’s voice rang out loud and clear from behind Rena Rouge, Queen Bee and Carapace, “Is she okay? She took the hit for-”

“I’m perfectly fine, Viperion. I’m just a little dizzy. I didn’t think the akuma would take all day to defeat.”

“The sentimonster is still on the loose, but-”

“You’re dizzy? Let me take you to the Guardian.” Chat held her closer and Marinette- no, _ Ladybug _\- pushed herself away from him.

_ What was going on? _

“I’m fine, Chat.” She insisted and she felt everyone’s eyes piercing her, digging into her, as if they could sense something was off. “We have a sentimonster to defeat. It’s going to require everyone’s focus and all effort, nothing less, got it?”

They all nodded around her and Chat’s hand lingered on her arm as he finished helping her up. 

A voice popped into her head, along with an alarm.

_ Your first play begins _ ** _now_ ** _ . Choose your partner and you have a timer, so when it runs out, so does your try. Remember, if you _ ** _don’t _ ** _ make your choice by the _ ** _end _ ** _ of the third round, it’s _ ** _game over_ ** _ for you. _

She pulled away from Chat and shook her head, pressing her palm against her forehead to try to make sense of what was going on.

Whether she liked it or not, she _ had to _make a choice and she figured she’d start out and play it safe. 

She’d start off with the boy who handed her his umbrella and his friendship under the rain. 

She’d choose Adrien Agreste, a.k.a. Chat Noir.

_ Ready. _

** _Begin._ **

* * *

Knowing what she does, it makes it hard not to let anything she learned during her time in the future with Nova, slip. 

It would be so _ easy _to reveal Hawkmoth’s identity, but seeing what it did to Adrien from reports in the history book she had found, she refrained from saying anything. 

For the moment, at least.

And also, because she needed time to figure out how to take him down. Hawkmoth had always planned ahead of time, but this time, she had something huge up her sleeve. Something that would bring his demise.

But she still had to think about Adrien and how he would take it.

She had to go about it the right way and find a way to ease Adrien into the truth. 

_ Adrien_.

She saw him across the school courtyard, Monday morning, walking towards her with Nino and Alya chatting him up.

“Good morning, Marinette.” Alya greeted her with a warm hug and Marinette reciprocated quickly, missing Alya’s warmth and vibrancy.

“Good morning, Al.” Marinette murmured, “I’ve missed you so much.”

“What do you mean? Are you sick, Marinette? You just saw me Saturday.” Alya pressed a hand against Marinette’s forehead and checked her temperature. “Or am I hallucinating? I’m worn out from yesterday. It was a long day. Had a lot of homework and Nino stayed up all night on the phone with me...”

It _ had _been a long day. 

Marinette and the rest of the team had defeated the sentimonster using Rena’s illusions, Chat’s cataclysm, Queen Bee’s stinger and Carapace’s protection. 

The sentimonster had forced them to keep transforming back and forth, as they still could not hold their transformations longer than five minutes after they had used their powers.

Eventually, from what Marinette could see transformed, the sentimonster’s amok had been taken away from them and the purified feather had floated aimlessly to the floor beneath them.

They had called it a night and Marinette, as Ladybug, had lingered around with Chat to talk on the rooftops until her alarm beeped, warning her that it was dangerously close to dawn (five hours to be exact). She had kissed Chat’s cheek good-bye, and swung, exhausted to the bone, home to her bed and warm sheets.

“I’m sorry. I’m just a bit out of it. I was working on homework I needed to catch up from last week, with all my tardies and absences.” Marinette took in a deep, shaky breath in and slowly exhaled as Alya pulled her arm and left her standing in front of Adrien.

“Hello, Marinette.” Adrien greeted her cheerfully and Marinette’s stomach began twisting into painful knots and her heart did painful leaps.

She really had missed everyone, and she didn’t know whether or not the game was real, but she didn’t care at the moment. It all _ felt _ so real.

“Good morning, Adrien.”

And she did something that she had never done before with him.

She rushed forward and hugged him tightly, for all the times she hadn’t been there for him.

“Um- I…” He patted her back awkwardly and Marinette realized how stiff his body was, before he relaxed and returned her embrace. “Are you okay, Marinette?”

“I’m fine. I’m perfectly fine.” Marinette reassured him with one last squeeze, before breaking away to gather her things and leave, “See you later.”

_ Who’s hesitating now? _ Marinette smirked as she went up the stairs to Ms. Bustier’s class, where she was greeted by Alya, who had apparently witnessed the whole thing through the window.

“Woah, girl, is there something going on between you two that I don’t know?”

A finger pressed up against her chest and slipped up under her chin, tilting it to meet Alya’s eyes.

“No.” was Marinette’s response, and she turned away from Alya to go to her seat.

“That hug was suspiciously long for someone-”

“I was just checking in on a friend, Als.” Marinette waved her off and took her seat, putting her bag on the table to dig for the homework.

She missed Alya’s twinkle in her eyes that she got when she found a new scoop. It was something she saw in Nova when he found a new recipe to cook for dinner.

“Yeah, girl. That wasn’t just something you would do for ‘just a friend’.” Alya slid into her seat, next to Marinette, and pointed at Adrien’s incoming figure. “You’re finally making moves. Just go along with it, to see how it goes. I’m so proud of you, girl.”

“I’ll go at it at my own pace, Als.” Marinette leaned over and hugged Alya tightly, “I’ve really missed you.”

* * *

“Adrien!” Marinette found herself running after him after school, before he got into his car and she knew she had to do something, say something to take steps forward to a relationship.

“Marinette?”

She could hear the confusion in his voice and she supposed it could be because she was flailing her arms in the air when he was at the bottom of the stairs and she was at the top. Or maybe because in her hurry to catch up to him, her ribbons for her hair had snagged onto her backpack and her hair was down.

“Wouldyouliketogo-”

“Slow down. Are you alright? You seem a little... frazzled.” Adrien cautiously approached her, and she took a deep breath, straightened up, and smoothed her hair back.

“I’m perfectly fine.” Marinette exhaled and let out a small chuckle, “I’m having a small party for all my friends at the end of the week and I was wondering if- this is going to sound stupid- you’d like to go?”

Adrien’s expression lit up, and he eagerly nodded, “That’s cool! I’d love to go! I have one question, though.”

“Anything.”

“Would it be okay if I invite Kagami? She wanted to come to meet everyone and-“

“Of _course_, Kagami can come. I don’t see anything wrong with it. Do you?” Marinette felt her eye twitch momentarily as she gripped the edges of her binder and Adrien raised an eyebrow in slight confusion.

“Right.” He began to back away towards his car and waved at her, “See you tomorrow, Marinette.”

Marinette couldn’t find it in herself to wave back, so she resorted to forcing her lips into a smile instead. Kagami’s name left a bad taste in her mouth, especially because she had been so right about hesitating.

“But she doesn’t have to know that.” Marinette sighed as she began walking home and Tikki peaked out of her bag, “If I tell her, it’ll probably go straight to her head.”

“But she was right, Marinette. And you can’t tell anyone that isn’t Master Fu about what happened. You need to go see him immediately, Marinette.” Tikki pulled on the bottom of her jacket and Marinette shook her head.

“What if he thinks I’m crazy and takes you away, Tikki?” Marinette suddenly became aware of every step she took, every breath she inhaled and the way her chest was rising up and down very quickly. “I don’t want to lose you, Tikki.”

“I don’t either, Marinette, but you do know the truth has a way of coming to light sooner, rather than later.”

“I’m aware of that, Tikki.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

* * *

Marinette was at the bakery’s entrance and she reached for the doorknob, opening it to be greeted by her loving parents. Would it look weird if she started crying and ran over to them, into their arms? They were baking and had hardly glanced up, but Marinette could see their usual smiles on their faces as they prepared some emergency order for the Mayor.

“Marinette, dear, if you’re not too busy, would you help us with these pastries? We’re working with what we have and we could use the extra hands.” Her mother asked from behind the counter, as she took another fresh batch of cookies out of the oven.

“Of course, Maman.” Marinette answered cheerily and pointed upstairs. “I’m going to go change really quick and come back down.”

Marinette made her way up the stairs and she could feel Tikki’s hard gaze on her, judging her every step, every breath, every blink. All she could do was sigh and hope Tikki would understand where she was coming from.

* * *

Once Marinette was done helping her parents, the sun was setting, and her Papa pulled out a small box he had set aside as they waited for the delivery guy to arrive to pick up all the boxes.

“For my favorite girls.” He opened it and it was cookies dyed in pink, “Pink, white chocolate chip cookies.”

Marinette took one and her Papa pulled her and her Maman into a big hug. “This is our biggest order yet. I’m so proud of our little family.”

“I love you, Papa and Maman.” Marinette felt tears rise and there was nothing she could do to stop them, as they began to spill over and her Maman and Papa cooed and asked her what was wrong.

She couldn’t tell them about her double life. She couldn’t tell them about what she felt when she was all alone in a world, in a future without them and her friends. 

She held up a high head while she was with Nova because she had to, because tears weren’t going to solve her alarming issue at hand. But here? In the bakery, where it was warm and her parents were very much alive and holding her?

“Are you feeling alright, dear? If you’re not feeling well, you can rest and you don’t have to go to school. We’ll call and-”

“Maman, Papa. I’m fine. I just... love you guys so much.” She hiccupped in between and the door opened as Marinette wiped her tears away and her parents gave her one last squeeze, before heading to the register where the boxes were waiting.

“I’m here to pick up the boxes, ma’am and sir. Hope you two are having a lovely day.”

Marinette recognized that voice. She didn’t think she’d be seeing him so soon. Her heart dropped, not ready to see him yet, but he saw her before she saw him and he waved.

“Hey, Ma-ma-Marinette.”

“Hey...Luka.” Marinette couldn’t swallow the cookie she had bitten into, as he smiled at her and her whole body stiffened at the sight of him.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kagami 👀 makes an appearance soon...

**Author's Note:**

> No concrit unless you're the person who this is supposed to be for.
> 
> ALSO [Edit] this was inspired by the song Arcade by Duncan Laurence. It goes with the fic :)


End file.
